Loading ramp



' Feb. 15, 1949.

Filed Oct. 14, 1946 C. O. CHRISTENSEN LOADING RAMP ShetS-Sheet 1 C. O. CHRSTENSEN Feb. 15, 1949.

LOADING RAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1 946 Wfw ATTOA/EYS Patented F eb.l 15, 1949 E121- STATES PAT-EN oFF-rcel LOADING RAME" Carl 0. Christensen,vv Walnut Creek,l Clifl," assignor to RolllRite Corporation, Oakland;Calif;;` a' corporation-ofiCalifornia Animations!)omheen, 1946', serial No'. 703,180

I. Thisnventlenfrelatesftu ramps:.orapronsefor between railwayfan p1atfarmsand.,1oa.ding

desks :to:enabledim@Rinatherebetweer1n s It is the principal object of my presentinventionE .top .providea generally improved, ramp or apron ,capable ofbeing.expeditiouslyf positioned tejen ige. thggap: betweenia canplatforrnvand av loa hvn Midolaand secure. itagainstfinadvertent dislodgneet.

In practicing:imyfinyentionmI provide a. rigid, substantially flatr, ,bridge xmemberI tov extend be. tween and gbear onjthe-suriace ,ofsa oar platform anlialqadnedok, fw i eriahlefhand trucks to trayersefthereoyerfbetweenJ-thecar andthe dock. To Iprevent n ,dislo,dgrrrer-1t-,l this l :bridge member is ttedgfwith extensibleabutment means which engagesgthesideiof the car! platformV at onefend aidf'to engage theside of the dock.l at .thepther end..Y so as to, prevent inadvertentV dislodgment ofjthge bridge ,members after-itv hasbeen positioned. The bridge .memberv isy ,fitted s ,substantially centrally/With.amgdumnabling the fork-,0f a truck to engage the f sameto! position it, for- `use or ,to re met@ itfromfsuqh position.:.

Oney fOrmwhkh--theinventionfzmayassume is (preferred formroff my:;1nvent1on.

Fig-:3 szarfrasmntary'view yin transverse sectel? taken; Qn; line .3e-.3. ofFg,` `1.- 1

*is a nerspeetivfviewshowing.themanner in.which,y the truclsflift engages the. ramp for translqftinathe-same;,

' Figi-51S@ viewin- Side eleyationfof myimproYed Referring more particularly-tothe, accompanyinadrawizrlgsl l0.- .indicates alrampforepron for use..;in bridgin`g the gap between a :railw-aywear platform and a doek ,in order thatv trucks may bemoyedtherebetween for loading or unloading the car. They longitudinal dimension ofthe ramp origaprongis of,suffieient length that it will extendibetween and overlie the ,upper surfaces -ofa railwayearand doc k wheresaidrspacing is yofthe usualiwidth. In width, one end of theapron ,is substantially thevwidth ofAa standard freight. car dooropeningsoy that it may project thereint-o, ,s o that thend'fstharamp. orgapronimay overlie and eernlthear .p1atform..f At its otherrend mamma ispi. slightly y,greater,Width. astillusfV tld.. s f

Ijirefjer to. form, ,the ramp. y of"` a. substantiallr".v fiat 'bridge member l If' Yfo'rrnedloi4 -s`te'1el ."platei or; otherA suitable' ,materiaL In this, instance the bridge member I I" is slightly arched'or stiiness, andtdaid in thisv stiffness longitudinal stiilnersv I 2 are provided suitably. ,Welded 'to the undersidel of' the plate which, form-s thebridgememberI Also for stilningspurposes.andfto. preventlhin-fA advertent'movement ofthe ltrucks off the side of;y

the ramp,g the oppositesidesbf,.the..,bridge member are, formed With `uptnurnedfainges |4',1asi1=, lustratedgli Also, at'each .sidelthe,bridgememberI I .is' fittedV with ia .xedeabutment memberd .I 5" `Wh`ch` fextends'v short of the end 'of the bridge memberkfi I', asill. lustrated in Fig. ,5, sothatthe-4 end thereo may' engagathe side Kof ,either the railway. carorthe. side of 1the, do`cl{when the bridge members I I'l 'is' positioned t0, have itsendjb'earlon thecarorldck.; Formed." on each abutment memben is" alongitudinal guide! 6 Within .which is disposedfor lungi; tudina1';reciprocation .a ,moi/able abutment meme. benl This -abutment memben 11.1; of.courseisk recprocable in v a. direction. longitudinal.:.,ofelthe. ramp or apron .I 01.'

The upper surface.of.;eachemovableabutment I 'I isi formed. with.ratchet.rackteethli'Safor coopre eration with, a Aweighted-,paxi11.I 9.o`pivotedfas atfll to the bridgemember.. Arfobt .treadle Zivis .formed on the pawl'fonoperati'ngl-,the same.,Y Thetteeth engaging `end '22of, thespawl [I9 slfweighted softhat. it^wi11"'normallygseek'to engage v.with theratchet. teeth 18.

When the, rampspositoned,Lforiuse, the move able abutment .memben I 1,"is`moyede'axiallyto.. a: position Where Athe,distance ,between theyouter. ends' of. the, Xed abutment Igandthe moi/table abutment I 1.is`,consid1"ably.less. thanthespacin'gl. between the adjacent sidesfM thecar and-dockl Afterthe'ramp has ,been,.postionedthe,twofmovable g abutment, ,members ,1I 'lfarefmoMed-.longitudh nallylv untill' their. L ends abut 5. against;` the side-...lof thedock or car opposite the `side against twhoh they D xedyabutment .1. I gabuts. .1 There-aftenith pawlsJS arepermittedto` engage--withthe' ratchet teeth I yto, .latch.th e. moi/:able abutments-JI Lin. position, .,whineectivelm prei/ents,longitudinal movement of the bridge. member ,-I I.-,sothat it .cansA not becomeinadnertentlydislodged from lits-bears ing ,engagementwith theecarvplatformorfdoeki Whenitp-isndesired to -remove s .the platform', it islnrly: neeessaryztoedepress :theftreadlessitI oftthe pawlsf ISgreleasingthetpawlsl9 fromwengagef ment with-the smovablefvabutments; ;I-'I=so qthatlthe; latterVv mayebezwthdrawn@ e By the 'use' of the extensible abutments shown and described, it is obvious that the ramp may be latched securely in position between a car platform and a dock.

To position the ramp, which is, of course, quite heavy due to its steel construction, and to enable it to be removed from operative position and transported to a second place of use, I provide a bail 23 which is pivoted in lugs 24 on the underside of thebridge member il beneath the upper surface thereof. The bridge member l l is formed in its face with a depression or opening 25 complemental in shape to the bail 23 so as Ato receive Athe bail 23, leaving the surface of the bridge member l I flush. Stop members 26 are provided to limit the downward movement of the bail in the depression 24.

When it is desired to transport or handle the ramp, this bail is upraised, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and one fork of the truck lift is projected therethrough, as illustrated in Fig. 4, which enables elevation or lowering of the ramp and also transportation thereof to a desired position.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a very simple and efficient ramp which is provided with extensible abutment means to insure that it will not become dislodged when in use.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: `l, VVA'loading ramp, comprising a bridge member having two side portions, a xed abutment end and a movable abutment end, an integral ange secured to each side portion extending above said bridge member substantially the length thereof and being provided with a downward extension projecting below said bridge member providing a xed abutment member adjacent said fixed abutment end, a shaft-receiving member secured to and outwardly of each said flange, said shaft receiving member terminating a substantial distance short of said movable abutment end, a shaft slidably received within said shaft receiving member and provided with ratchet rack teeth along its upper surface, said teeth being adapted to engage a pivoted pawl to permit movement of said shaft toward but to prevent movement thereof away from said movable abutment end, and a pawl having a weighted head and a foot treadle and pivotally supported above said rack to prevent retraction of said shaft.

2. A loading ramp or apron comprising a rigid bridge member adapted to extend between and bear adjacent its ends upon a spaced car platform and dock, said bridge member being substantially flat, extensible abutment means carried by the bridge member to extend between and abut against adjacent sides of said car platform and dock, said abutment means including a fixed member adjacent one end of, underneath and secured to the bridge member to abut against one of said sides of the car platform or dock, means secured to said bridge member along a side thereof providing a track, a rack slidably supported by said track for movement longitudinally of the bridge member whereby it may be abutted against the-side opposite that which 4 the xed member abuts, and a pawl pivotally supported by the bridge member opposite said rack to latch said rack in abutting position.

3. A loading ramp comprising a relatively flat rigid bridge member to extend between a car platform and a dock'with its ends overlying the platform and the dock a short distance, a xed abutment member rigidly secured to one side lof and extending longitudinally of the bridge member but shortof one end thereof to abut against one side of the car platform or dock, a guide xed on and extending longitudinally of said xed abutment member, an elongated movable abutment member guided in said guide for movement longitudinally of the bridge member toward and away fromv the other side of the platform or dock, ratchet teeth formed along the upper edge of said member, a pawl pivotally supported by the bridge member above said teeth to engage and disengagefrom said teeth whereby said movable member may be moved longitudinally into abutting position and there latched by engagement of the pawl with said teeth.-

4. VA loading ramp comprising a relatively kdat rigid bridge member to extend between a car platform and a dock with its ends overlying the platform and the dock a short distance, a xed abutment member rigidly secured to one side of and extending longitudinally of the bridge member but short of one end thereof to abut against one side of the'car platform or dock, a guide fixed on and extending longitudinally of said fixed abutment member, an elongated movable abutment member guided in said .guide for movement longitudinally of the bridge member toward and away from the other side of the platform or dock, ratchet teeth formed along the upper edge of said member, a pawl pivotally supported by the-bridge member above said teeth to engage and disengage from said teeth whereby said movable member may be moved longitudinally into abutting position and there latched by engagementrof the pawl with said teeth, a bail member pivoted to thebridge member substantially centrally thereof, said bail member being pivoted to the bridge member beneath the upper surface of the bridge member, the upper surface of the bridge member having a depression formed therein complemental to said bail member to receive the same.

5. In a loading ramp comprising a bridge member and a xed abutment memberV secured to said bridge member underneath and at one end thereof, the improvement which comprises an extensible abutment member provided with ratchet rack teeth, a guide secured to said bridge member and supporting said extensible member-forA sliding movement longitudinally of said bridge member and at a side thereof, anda pawl provided with a foot treadle and pivotally supported by said bridge member opposite said rack teeth and so weighted as normally to engage its head with said rack and prevent retraction of said extensible abutment member.

6. A loading ramp comprising a bridge member having side and end portions, fixed abutment members secured to said bridge member adjacent and beneath one end portion, an extensible abutment member for each side portion having ratchet rack teeth along its upper surface, a guide secured to each -side portion slidably supporting an extensible abutment member for movement longitudinallyof said side portion, and a pawl provided with a foot 5 treadleand' pivotally supported above said rack UNITED STATES PATENTS;

and so weighted as normally to engage said rack teeth toV prevent retraction thereof. Number Name Date CARL 0,V CHRISTENSEN, 1,144,836 Green June 29, 1915 Y Y 2,337,138 Van Berg 'Dec. 21, 1943 REFERENCES CITED 2,424,876 Butler July 29, 1947 The following references are of record' in the' le of this patent: 

